Screeching Notes: Fall of the Soveriegn
by AbZHz101
Summary: Before Prelude; reading Prelude not neccessary to understand. It was all a game- one that he would win. And this new twist- just made it all the more fun. Pray for you're safety fools! Soon I shall own the gods and decide just how to answer your prayers!
1. Binding Azulongmon

The Digimon Emperor was happy. He had decisively shown those kids that he was the master of this world and that this was HIS game to win. They and their pets had gotten away for now but no matter, they would come back and when they did he would win and claim the digimon as his spoils of war.

He was in his base reveling in the fact that the entire map was black. All digimon bowed to him! He had even discovered a way to empower his dark rings even more as well as learning and mastering the level beyond Ultimate, Mega. Then an email came through. Its sender was the same one that had put the Digital World on his computer those years ago.

The message said, "Hail to the Emperor! You are truly the King of the East Digital World but have you the strength to conquer the gods? There are four Sovereign sealed in the quadrants by your towers; however should you call to them with your digivice you will release them to either subdue or kill. However should you fail you will have incurred their wraith and shall watch as your empire falls around you. And be warned they are more powerful than any single Mega that you have under your control.

"I know the location of the Eastern god, Azulongmon. Call to him with your Digivice at any of the "Destiny Stones" and see if it is your _destiny_ to rule this world… If you dare!" Below the message was a list of coordinates pointing out stones that Ken had seen before and wondered at their purpose and now he knew- to call out a Boss Battle. Well there was a new challenge until the Digi-Fools returned- taming their own gods to use against them, what delicious irony.

"Come, Wormmon," he told his exposition fairy, "We have a god to tame!"

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><p>This was it, he was prepared. Fifty Mega, One Hundred Ultimate, and Two Hundred Champions- Sixty Control Spires in the immediate are with a hundred more hidden in the area out of sight, not to mention the countless Mega level Rings he had to force Azulongmon's loyalty.<p>

Now it was time for the battle to begin- not for the first time did he dislike the lack of a save function, but that just made it all the more exciting. He'd have to just win the first time. Which made preparation all the more important. This had to be perfect. Now he was as prepared as he ever would be- stalling had no point, save to give him nerves. He thrust his digivice at the destiny stone and sat back to watch the cinematic cut-scene. Definitely impressive, shame he would be able to only see it once. He watched the dragon look around eyeing his enemies warily. So majestic, so powerful- he must make bow to him! He cracked his whip and all his slaves began to fire off their attacks. "**Aurora Force.**"

Many of his slave's attacks were pierced and blocked by the lightning. Some of the bolts traveled and felled the digimon that made no effort to dodge or block. In return some of the attacks hit Azulongmon. All but the strongest of strikes seemed to be no worse than pinpricks- which made him want the dragon more. It would bow to him! So without pretense or calling it out, he stealthily let a ring go. Silently it glided toward the target, Azulongmon did not notice in the chaos of the fighting.

The ring clamped on to a fore-claw! He had done it! Only, he hadn't, he realized. One of Azulongmon's eyes turned a bright blood red and the rest dilated. He began to flail wildly around striking at enemies both real and phantasmal. No matter this was not the first digimon that had not obeyed at the first. He knew the cure for that, more Rings! So he threw two more. One was pierced by Azulongmon's Lightning Whip; but the other ring caught the other fore-claw. Another eye turned the bright red. The thrashing became worse. Had the digimon been on the Earth the area would have been leveled by now. Azulongmon launched attacks haphazardly at imaginary foes doing much damage to the surrounding area when his attacks went earthward.

This was both exciting and annoying! Another Ring, one the back claws! The dragon stopped it's thrashing. All but one of the dragon's eyes glowed a fiery red. Azulongmon did not strike out anymore but it did not come when he called to it. Unable to strike out but unable to flee- it was still free? A strong will, but those were much more fun to break. The Digimon Emperor looked around at the results: fifteen Mega were missing, twenty more were losing data too fast to be long for this world- no matter they would come back, Similarly, only thirty-four Ultimates still stood battle-worthy, the Champions faired the worst at sixty-seven survivors- many of the Control Spires were gone but enough remained for his purposes, Wormmon was clutching his leg trying to hide his fear while also not leaving his side. He smiled- now was the time for ceremony.

"Now my slaves," He called to those who still stood, "Behold my power! I have faced a god without flinching and have come out victorious! Remember this day and the power of your Emperor and rejoice in being able to serve me! Now Watch as Azulongmon himself, your god, bows in my presence!"

With that he released one last Ring that went toward the Soveriegn. It watched it with a resigned eye- it had accepted its fate. It even stuck the remaining leg out to make it easier for his ring! The Emperor cracked his whip once. His slaves on the ground bowed their heads as their former god flew earthward. As it descended, it shrunk. At the time of it's landing the Emperor's newest slave was only a tiny twenty meters long and eight meters tall. It folded its wings and bowed to its new master. He climbed on top of the dragon's head, dragging Wormmon along out of habit, and cracked his whip in the air once more. His slaves raised their heads- the sight made him so giddy that he actually cackled in glee, and once he began he started to move into the realm of hysterics. Without a word or a glance his slaves began to return to his base. Maybe later he would make a triumphal arch to denote his great victory today… Yes those destiny stones would make wonderful decorations. The Digimon Emperor rode away, designs of his newest project already in his head.


	2. Captured Turtle

Okay First I have to appologise this should have been up sooner. I had a different version done but that didn't save. Then I lost my flashdrive with the story on it. Even after that well it just sat half done for a few days until I just did it. But this is proving my point on why I wait to upload until I am done.

* * *

><p>Upon returning to his base the Emperor took his new favorite to his main lab for study. It had taken four Mega level Rings to obtain the Mega and he needed to know why. Analysis showed that the twelve Digi-Cores outside of the Mega's body radiated power of the virtues of the Digital World. The combination made it very hard for his rings to have their full and intended effect. Had he used his original rings or his spirals they would have done nothing!<p>

During this time he had also learned that his slave had retained sense-of-self, a trait that was not obvious at first if a slave had. Some digimon did, others did not. The Emperor had yet to determine why, he had taken multiple slaves at a range of species and power levels and tested for things like the strength of the device used, placement, or the digimon's own power or will. The results had been seemingly arbitrary: power and will played some role, but he had taken two digimon of the same species and same power and placed equal strength rings on the same place and one became mindless, the other did not.

Azulongmon, despite wearing four Mega Rings, had maintained his sense of self and in truth it seemed joy his new servitude. The digimon answered any questions that the Emperor had and told him many things that no other being would know. For example, there were not four Sovereign but five. Fanglongmon, Sovereign of the Center, was the leader of the Sovereign and more powerful than the other four combined. Also, Azulongmon was also a member of the Great Dragons a group that was much less well known and the other two members even more reclusive than the other Sovereign.

Ken looked at this as a great opportunity to learn about his future conquests. Azulongmon told him that though the four directional Sovereign were roughly equal in power Baihumon had the highest raw power but least experience, and Zhuqiaomon had a Attribute advantage, thus Ebonwumon of the North who had an Attribute disadvantage would be the most logical choice. The Emperor was pleased with such information but he needed to know Azulongmon's powers inside and out as well as having made a ring powerful enough to control a Sovereign. So he would hold off on his conquests for now. As it turned out Azulongmon had powers that had never truly been documented and that the digimon itself had not fully tested out. The only part of his body that was in the realm of solid was his mask, and the chains and beard connecting to it, and that was actually just a clever trick of magnetism. As they already knew Azulongmon could change his size at will as he was practically pure energy.

Should the mask be placed upon any normal digimon regardless of level Azulongmon could easily possess them. But the Emperor and his dragon knew that the real test would be whether Azulongmon could possess digimon of roughly equal power. Ebonwumon would be that test. Even if he could not do it fully the distraction should be enough of an opening for the Sovereign Ring to take him. Testing it with Azulongmon, they found that it worked though Azulongmon preferred the four Mega Rings, when asked why he simply answered that he felt like they were his- a part of him.

Azulongmon knew the general location of the Two Headed Turtle and Ken and the surviving members of the raid team that took Azulongmon, with a number of replacements, and the dragon itself moved into the less than familiar territory.

The Digimon Emperor also decided to bring spare Sovereign Class Rings with him in case the first was destroyed or there was an anomaly in the data. He only had one data point for comparison after all.

Conquering as they went Ken spent most of his time searching for a signature similar to Azulongmon's Destiny Stones. After about half an hour, he got a hit. However it was three areas hence. Over Mountains. Having nothing better to do though, he ordered his troops to make a direct line there. Three hours later they had made it and it was time to prepare the area and his plan before resting. It would not do to yawn as he fought a Sovereign after all such lapses in concentration could result in the unraveling of his perfect plan.

Before turning in the Digimon Emperor made sure that the battlefield was set to his liking- challenger's prerogative after all. He chose the battlefield and time so he got to set it up as he pleased.

Ebonwumon's entrance was not as grand as Azulongmon's- of course objectively, there was more that programmers could _do_ with a Dragon that was responsible for the Spring and wielded Lightning than there was for the Winter and Wood based Two Headed-Turtle. That and, possibly because he had seen something similar so there was less shock factor. However this one was someone to be extremely wary of- Azulongmon had seen him in battle before and while Ebonwumon did not boast the greatest power it was a skilled illusionist. While his Mugen would not debilitate most of his slaves as they had already lost their will, it would be frustrating for them to miss constantly while in the throws of the illusion; and should it hit either Azulongmon or himself the effects would be devastating. "What's the meaning of this?" Ebonwumon's right head asked. "Trouble's brewing," the Left head answered scanning over the assembled forces.

For that and the fact that Azulongmon had a special mission instead of fighting his fellow Sovereign up front, Azulongmon would slip around from behind and bind one of the heads down. For that the excess amounts of Data and Vaccine Attribute should prove useful in providing a distraction.

'_Does Ebonwumon have two consciousness's?'_ the Emperor briefly wondered, _'If it did that might complicate things.'_ But he was not truly worried- in his mind he was prepared for any eventuality.

"**Heat Viper**"

Ahh, there was Kimeramon the Ultimate was a reliable frontline fighter even if he had to be restrained and disciplined now and again.

"**Kokuhyo**" _'Black Hail,'_ Ken grimced, _'not the most ferocious attack in the digimon's arsenal, but frustrating- the bad weather would make putting a ring on the Turtle more difficult. Hopefully Azulongmon would complete his part of the operation soon.'_

Speak of the digimon, Azulongmon had dropped onto the left head and pierced the ground with his chains before pulling the head down.

The hail stopped.

"Azulongmon? What-" Ebonwumon's remaining head asked. But it did not get to finish what it had begun to say, a Sovereign Ring clasped around the neck. It instead turned to Ken and asked, "What is your will?"

He laughed and instead of answering looked to the Eastern Dragon. "Has anything changed?"

"No, it is exactly the same as before," Azulongmon told his master.

The Emperor nodded acknowledging the statement. So each head had a separate personality after all. "Keep it tied down," he said and took out another Sovereign class ring. Ring Toss, he reflected, really was his favorite game.

Now with both heads under his control, Ken allowed Azulongmon to remove himself. His Dragon complied and the left head grunted waiting for orders. Now that was odd, Ebonwumon was both mindless and self aware- how novel. This would need to be studied.


	3. Caged Bird

Wormmon walked through the corridors lined with the Emperor's red eyed slaves. If it weren't for the Dark Rings so many Digimon in such close proximity could never be possible. Nor could the variety: here a Devidramon; next to it, a Unimon; Diver and Scubamon waited for their orders next to Thundermon; really, the Digital World just never realized that Ken was turning it into a true utopia—there was no strife, no fights over territory, no wicked or corrupt, no worries about when and where the next meal was coming from; just those who lived to serve the Digimon Emperor.

As Wormmon convinced himself that his partner's actions had been just, the Emperor plotted just how to deal with the biggest remaining challenge: Zhuqiaomon. The Viral Sovereign of Fire held a separate advantage over each of his Slaves: Fire burned Wood and Virus was strong against Data. Ebonwumon, however was a Vaccine type, and so held some power there. Azulongmon would be best served on reserve. Still two tended to be better than one…

"Master?" Wormmon questioned. "The tethers have been set up, the fleet only awaits your orders and they will take Ebonwumon where he needs to go."

Absently, the Emperor nodded, mind focused on the battle that to come. Every successful tactician could tell you that every major campaign in history was fought a thousand times, as strategists poured over information, running through every possible scenario, no matter how unlikely, a hundred times to see each strike and counter blow. It was the one who prepared more and had more effectively used the resources available that would win. He already had one of each of the enemy's Gold and Silver Generals, now he would take the ones remaining!

Now then… Water and Vaccine Attacks would be important… Lightning and Wind were always strong against fliers in games for some reason… Yes that would work! The Emperor smirked. Time to capture the second Gold. He brought up the screen that showed Ebonwumon. Numerous ropes tied the Northern Slave to a plethora of flying Digimon would carry Ebonwumon to his play date with his Southern counterpart far faster than if the turtle had to either walk or swim. Afterward some might revert down to Fresh but they would Digivolve on command and would be given enough time to regain their strength.

He cracked his whip; even from here the Slaves knew their Master's order. If Ebonwumon had any reservations about the method of travel it was kept to himself as the Turtle Slave stayed perfectly still and kept his eyes wide open. The caravan headed south. Round Three was about to begin.

The Emperor surveyed his preparations dutifully—it would not do to lose this because one of his troops had ambled out of position. Ebonwumon was the centerpiece of his attack. His Attribute advantage should make up for the lack of attack power. Behind his Sovereign, the Emperor had positioned the rest of his army in staggered layers. The main weapons were water and Vaccine type strikes, which should be most effective against the Fire Vermillion Bird Virus. Above and further away were his Wind and Lightning type fighters, to keep Zhuqiaomon from flying too far away from the slower land-bound Sovereign. And should he prove too much for them, Azulongmon would be ready to strike the Southern Bird from the sky.

He was ready to begin: Boss Battle Commence! It began as a small flame on the ground, no bigger than that from a match head. Then with a thwuomp, it expanded into a campfire, from there it rushed to become a bonfire, and roared as it became a gigantic wildfire. The Emperor's Slaves did not move, were not impressed, because they had not been ordered to be. They held their ground even as the temperature began to heat up their rings to the point of beginning to sear their digital flesh. They did not cry out, they did not react, they did not notice; because they had not been ordered to. A shadow began to form in the inferno. And from the blaze a Bird took wing, carrying the fire with it. Its feathers danced with everything between red and yellow—and even some soot black—the bare talons the color of coals about to ignite: Zhuqiaomon.

"What is-?" was all the Southern Sovereign had time for before he was beset on all sides by attacks. The Slaves had needed no signal—the appearance of their target _was_ their signal. The Emperor watched the slugfest between the two Sovereign with a frown on his face, the raw heat that radiated from Zhuqiaomon was enough of a shield that everything below Mega might not as well have been attacking.

"Ebonwumon? What is the meaning of this?" Zhuqiaomon demanded between his attacks.

"You will serve," Ebonwumon replied, punctuating his statement with another Kokuhyo. Zhuqiaomon returned fire and decided that he needed more information, which could only be gained away from the Psychotic Northern Turtle. As he tried to rise to a level that Ebonwumon could not hit he was struck down from behind.

Mid-fall Zhuqiaomon was able to turn his head to see Azulongmon had been the one to hit him! "It is right for you to serve, Zhuqiaomon! Stop resisting!" the Dragon Slave cried.

This could not be happening! Two Sovereign falling to darkness? "Betrayers!" Zhuqiaomon screeched. "You have betrayed me _and_ the Digital World!" On instinct, the Southern Sovereign forced as much heat from his back as he could, and used the cushion of warm air to roll over and jink to his right. He felt something slip around his foot-wing, but he could not care. He had to get away from these two, had to find out if Baihumon was still with him or if he was the last… But far too soon he found that no matter how hard he flapped he did not move forward. Again he pushed his entire heat shield behind him to give himself thrust… He did not move. Something slipped round his other lower wing and suddenly his head was assaulted with a cacophony of the same phrase repeated a thousand times a second, each time with a different voice and a new inflection but always the same message: "You will serve."

"No… no, I won't!" Zhuqiaomon cried focusing most of his energy into making the damn voices _shut up_! With his mind stuck in his internal battle the Southern Sovereign had forgotten to expend the energy necessary to rebuild his heat shield. An unfamiliar weight settled around his neck and the voices receded until they were a dull murmur, in the back of his skull. They no longer needed to be loud, because either way he would be forced to listen.

"Do you serve me?" Zhuqiaomon heard a boy ask.

He turned to face the boy, the voices called him Master, it should have been so easy to end him and the threat he posed, but Zhuqiaomon could not, because the mark of his station forced him to answer the question and await orders. "Reluctantly," Zhuqiaomon replied, trying to ignite the child with his gaze alone.

"I don't care about reluctance, I care about obedience. Will you obey any order as soon as you receive it, even if it would been your deletion? Answer me honestly."

"Yes," Zhuqiaomon ground out.

The boy smiled. "Then proudly declare your allegiance to me."

"Hail to the Emperor," the Southern Sovereign spit out.

"Louder."

"ALL HAIL THE DIGIMON EMPEROR!" the Southern Slave cried out.


	4. Tiger Trap and Black Ceremony

"Azulongmon, Zhuqiaomon, Ebonwumon, come here," the Digimon Emperor commanded. The Eastern, Northern, and Southern Slaves came to rest in front of their master. Zhuqiaomon's stomach clenched, they were in the Western Quadrant, and there would be only one reason why the boy would be calling them. Azulongmon accepted what was about to come, he didn't like fighting the other Sovereign, but it was the only way to make them _see_. So he would fight them. Ebonwumon found everything easier if he didn't fight his Master's orders. He hadn't had this much power at his beck and call in centuries. "You three are the only three powerful enough not to be effected by Baihumon's Konguo. Ebonwumon, you are a Vaccine type and have the smallest direct damage move pool—you will stay back and hedge Baihumon in. Azulongmon and Zhuqiaomon, you two will be my first line. Zhuqiaomon, follow Azulongmon's lead. As a Virus and a Fire Digimon against a Data and Metal, your attacks will be the most effective. I don't want that wasted because Baihumon's guard was up. Oh and Zhuqiaomon? No talking except to name attacks until Baihumon is in my service."

Azulongmon nodded, seeing the logic in the plan that would take Baihumon down fast and with minimal casualties. Ebonwumon bowed and ambled into position, setting himself up across the field from the other two. During the fight, this would be behind Baihumon, the best place for a support strike. Once Ebonwumon was set, Zhuqiaomon unleashed a Zanka, creating an amphitheater of flames whose walls were a solid quarter mile thick and two miles high. Behind the wall of flames, Ebonwumon and the rest of the Emperor's Army positioned themselves—just in case. The Emperor himself had had one of the Unimon in his service fitted with black plate barding, bit, a saddle, and champron made of the same material as his rings and would watch the fight from above on the Champion's back. From there he would direct his Slaves.

Azulongmon and Zhuqiaomon took their places. The Emperor's digivice summoned the Fourth Sovereign, the capture had begun. Before Baihumon could even say a word, the Dragon Slave struck with a Lightning Whip. This futile struggle had already gone on too long between him and his counterparts, it would end. Baihumon dodged the first, but that left him open to a Blazing Helix. One. "What is the meaning of this?" Baihumon called to his counterparts. "Zhuqiaomon, what have you done?"

The Southern Sovereign's indignation rose; that fool automatically assumed _he_ was responsible for this mess? Zhuqiaomon found himself less resistant to the next strike he would deliver. The Bird Slave moved to enter Baihumon's blind side and the Tiger tried to keep his eyes on both opponents. This time Azulongmon used a Raijin-no-Mai which the Southern Slave obediently followed up with a Sonic Zephyr. Two. Now the Slaves could feel their orders change. It was time to end the fight.

Baihumon moved to the center of the circle of fire. Azulongmon moved from directly behind him to slightly on the Western Sovereign's left and softly landed, any noise that he did make was drowned out by the flames behind him, sinking his chains into the earth.

As Baihumon was expecting Azulongmon to lead the attack as had been done twice before, he was surprised when Zhuqiaomon took the initiative. The Western Sovereign should have seen the trap. It was another Blazing Helix, directed to hit just in front and to the right of the Tiger. So naturally, the Data Attribute jumped back and to the left, right to where Azulongmon was waiting. Before the Tiger could land, chains exploded from the earth and entangled themselves around the airbore and velnerable Baihumon. The proud fighter was pinned prone to his side, and could not free himself. Two final lengths of chain muzzled him and made the White Tiger bare his neck.

The flames died. Baihumon could see a figure on a black Unimon's back coming down as if from the heavens themselves. Baihumon could not react. The figure produced a collar and threw it towards him. Baihumon could not protest. It grew to the correct size for his neck. Baihumon understood, this battle had been lost and he himself was the prize… and now to the victor went the spoils. The collar closed, the chains released, and the Western Slave returned to his feet to bow to his Master.

* * *

><p>The other three moved to the correct positions and waited. "Come," the Emperor said. "You four must be presentable for when we challenge Fanglongmon." The reactions of the Four Slaves were each unique. Azulongmon internally sighed in relief, it was almost over. Ebonwumon grimaced before smiling in his head, it would be difficult, but for no one else would the idea even be possible; but then again for the Master his victory was probable, if not inevitable. Zhuqiaomon did suck in a breath of air, unwilling to continue; but he had no say in the matter so he would go on even if he was… reluctant. Baihumon was startled, but then this was the first sentence that his Master had spoken that he had heard. But if he could actually pull it off… perhaps losing wasn't such a bad thing. "And one more thing, this is a special ceremony, no talking until it is over."<p>

The boy's mount began to move and his Four Slaves followed, from the West to a realm that they before feared to tread, the Dark Ocean. Even here bowed to the whims of the Digimon Emperor. The Unimon stopped just before the shoreline, the Four stopping far enough back that they could all have an unimpeded view of the proceedings. The Emperor gracefully dismounted, and turned to face the four Megas. "Welcome to a part of my realm. This place holds a very special importance to me for it was here that I gained the tools I needed to get where I am today. And now here we are, on what might just be the eve of my completely uniting all Digimon under one banner into a utopia, and now you will pledge your loyalty to that dream. Today you bind yourselves unequivocally to me. Now I could tell you how you will do this… or I could show you."

The boy smirked and raised his black digivice. The Unimon stepped into the water until it was knee deep. Then it bent its head down and the Voices explained "Drink deeply of this water, this is the Master's command. Swallow six times—one for each of your Rings' virtues. Then Swallow six more times—once for each vice that must be purged."

Once the Unimon had done that it ran into the water until it could no longer be seen. "Submerge yourself in this water and let yourself become what your Emperor wishes you to be."

Time mounted and the four Mega on the shore could see nothing of what had become of the Champion, but the Emperor did not seem discouraged. He raised his digivice higher and out from the water came what had once been a Unimon.

The equine Champion's natural coat was now as black as its armor. Any straps or "extra pieces" needed to hold the armor in place now was melded into the muscle. The original ring was only noticeable because the digimon had six digicode symbols tattooed on its neck that shown in a glowing red. Its wings, which before looked almost stapled on, now naturally grew out of a small groove in the saddle to accommodate for them. They were like a set of correctly proportioned raven's wings. It trotted happily to the Emperor and offered the human its reins before kneeling down so that the boy might more easily climb on its back. Azulongmon saw the future, Ebonwumon saw the only path forward, Zhuqiaomon saw an abomination, Baihumon saw the Master was marking them as his property.

The Emperor's smirk grew wider, it was their turn. Azulongmon stepped somberly forward first, as silently ordered. Had he not been the paces might have even been… giddy. The East Dragon walked as far into the water as he could before beginning to swim further out, because he was so long.

Once at a satisfactory distance Azulongmon took six intoxicating gulps of the Dark Ocean's water before pausing for breath. As he did he felt his Rings begin to react, anticipant. He began to drink again and as he did the twelve Digi-Cores that he bore began to turn red. Two cores for each swallow. Upon the sixth gulp, Azulongmon threw himself into the waters of the Dark Ocean. He could feel the changes, running up and down his body like electricity, energizing every point of his body at once.

The Eastern Slave could not tell how long he had been submerged, but he knew at once when the changes stopped. He wistfully wished to linger, but his Master was calling; that was more important that his desires. He erupted from the Ocean, the black sea water cascading in rivets from his serpentine body. The Eastern Slave left the Dark Ocean to present himself to his Master. What once had been Azulongmon did not bother to look himself over, his only concern was that he was satisfactory to his Master.

The Emperor looked over his Slave with pride. Where once the Dragon had been blue he was now a transparent black. His mask had turned a sleek black, but had kept the lightning motif, trading yellow for red. His beard was tied at the ends by bands of black silk. The Slave's chains were now actual Mega-class Rings, the same caliber the Slave still wore. And speaking of the rings… around each of the Slave's ankles was a Mega class Ring, engraved with three of the Slave's twelve Digi-Cores. From each of the cores one of the ring's characters shown, black against the red light emitted by the jewel. Azure no longer fit as a moniker, and the Emperor would not go digging through the Romantic Languages for a substitute. No, instead he'd pick something more… _local_. His Slave would be named… "Rise, Molongmon." The newly dubbed East Dragon raised his head to its full height before returning to his place among the others.

As Molongmon approached, Ebonwumon began to move forward, passing the East Slave, eyes locked on the water. The Turtle repeated the process, though it took the Northern one much longer to submerge fully. The moments passed, and the ones on shore began to wonder if the Northern was trying to in an eternal struggle with the currents to surface when Ebonwumon's head appeared. The others waited for the rest of him to appear as he neared, though only a small island appeared towed by the Turtle. It was then that they realized Ebonwumon had undergone _massive_ changes. The Turtle Slave slipped through the waters, far faster than any of the others had ever seen him move.

Once Ebonwumon was able to get his feet onto the land below the water did they begin to see just how much of the Ancient Turtle had changed. No longer did the Northern Slave seem feeble, now the Digimon seemed to be in his prime. Ebonwumon's unprotected skin had drifted from a deep tan to a dull black, his second head and neck had disappeared, but only one ring was round his neck, studded with six jewels. The other ring had altered its shape to conform to the boundary of his shell, the remaining six allocating themselves to the correct positions. The shell was the largest change, no longer from it grew a massive tree large enough to be an old growth forest on its own. Instead each separate black patch contained at least one spike and seemed to model an area of the Digital World. No longer would it take the Emperor two minutes to order one slice of the world to his tasks, now it would take thirty seconds for a hemisphere. Only one small section of Ebonwumon's shell was grey—the area where Fanglongmon resided. That problem would be remedied soon enough.

Ebonwumon returned to his place beside Mòlongmon, but instead of Zhuqiaomon beginning the trek to the Dark Ocean, it was Baihumon. The Western Slave's face was grim as he cautiously entered the black waters. As the Tiger lowered his head he caught a flash of what he was to become. Had he the choice he would have paused in shock to study it. But his orders were to drink, not to stare into the waters, so he did.

The Western Slave kept his eyes open as his fur turned violet. He kept his eye open as the water built a black metallic cage around his body. To avoid looking only at the black void of the Dark Ocean he watched his forepaws change. He watched and felt his claws elongate and turn the same shade as his fur was becoming, the same held true for the other claws and his fangs as well. He watched as the words on his bracers changed. Even though he wasn't used to reading upside down he knew what they said, he actually appreciated the bluntness… "Western Slave." The twelve Digi-Cores that lined his collar pulled him in the correct direction. The Tiger calmly tread out of the black waters. He calmly accepted his new moniker of "Huihumon." That was probably a pun, but he had not been ordered to care.

As Huihumon returned Zhuqiaomon took wing for his own part. Not for the thousandth time since he had met the boy did Zhuqiaomon wish to incinerate him extremely slowly. Not only did the boy know that he was forcing a Fire Digimon into Water, specifically a type of water that Zhuqiaomon wouldn't go near if he had been promised all the power of Fanglongmon and Lucemon themselves, but he had also intentionally sent him last to give him more time to dread what was to come and, slightly, hope for a miracle. There would be no miracles for him today, or any day after. He alighted on the water, and sunk in to the top of the Sovereign Class Ring around his neck. He wished to yell out in shock but he had been ordered to be silent. Another reason to hate the boy he was forced to bow to. There was a dark laughter in his head, something about a "bird bath," and he growled internally even more—Number two on his "Immolation List." Mechanically, he fulfilled his orders to the letter, drinking six deep gulps of the putrid waters, pausing, taking six more, and immediately thrusting his head into the Dark Ocean. He could feel his beak shorten and twist, into something more jagged and predatory. He could also tell that the wings which bore his talons and the other two Sovereign Class Rings twisted and morphed into bare legs. He waited for his mind to alter but it did not, if anything he felt far _madder_ than he at his Master than he had been before!

He walked far enough to be able to spread his wings and lift himself out of the waters. Dutifully, he presented himself though he would have rather crushed the boy beneath his new feet. He regally waited as he was inspected like a common thing to be sold at first convenience. However, as the Emperor looked about his quickly snuck glances at his own form. Most of his feathers had turned varying shades of black, though where he was once yellow he was now red. He silently bore the indignant remark of how the rings on his legs had grown into tethers, though only the parts around his legs had been gifted with his Digi-Cores. He knew that each of his Rings which could no longer ever be removed, or even damaged, bore four of his cores. He didn't even blink through the remark that he was now the Emperor's "…little hunting Bird, my little… _falcon_." He even managed to give off a false pride when he was redubbed, "Shengumon."

The Dark Ocean had not broken him. He might never be freed, he might never be able to repay his Master for every slight that was sent to him, but he would never willingly serve. And they both knew those things, but for Zhuqiaomon who now answered to Shengumon, that was not the point. The point was that those facts _existed_.

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><p><strong>To the Guest who reveiwed: First thank you for the first three reviews for this story. It's actually the largest amount of reveiws for the entire series of fanfics which this is a part of. Second, sorry but the entire idea behind this world is that it is one where Ken wins... <em>utterly<em>. This world's Zhuqiaomon will forever bare the Rings that bind him to the Emperor's will and answer even in conversation with the other Sovereign to the name that the Emperor gave him-it will also be the one he introduces himself as, if he ever has to- just as the other Sovereign will. This story can stand alone from Prelude to Infinity-and I might just make a completely different world with this as the model-but if you wish to know where the Digi-Destined are... your answer's in there.**

**Also I imagine Huihumon looks something like the Liger Zero from Zoids, just differently colored and under the metal is an organic body.**


	5. 100 Complete

Shengumon stood proudly upright in the morning hours. His Master had taken them, and in fact all the Digimon that he could, into the area where Fanglongmon would awaken. Soon enough they would all move to their position and await the Yellow Dragon's arrival. Shengumon glanced back at the team of six slaves that held his tethers. It was laughable to think that six Champions would ever be able to truly keep him grounded, but while they held them Shengumon was forbidden to move. It was his Master's latest attempt to make a jester out of the Southern Slave.

Huihumon noticed as he approached that the Virus that Shengumon's cores had brightened again. They had done so twice during the ceremony, the Western Slave wondered at the meaning. But that was not the reason he was here. "Shengumon," he greeted, the name rolling off his tongue as if this was the ten millionth time instead of the first.

"Huihumon," the other replied with similar ease. "Why are you out this way, when your station is nowhere near here?"

"I will have time enough, but there was something that I needed to do first."

"Oh?" the Southern Slave asked.

"Yes," the Tiger replied suddenly becoming awkward. "I realize the last time we spoke, I did all the talking, and that most of it—all of it really—was me yelling and falsely accusing you. I had thought it might affect our ability to work together so I wished to apologize—or at least that was how I justified this to myself."

Again Shengumon's cores flared, before settling at their new brightness. "My personal feelings will not affect my combat abilities, Huihumon," the Southern Slave replied evenly. But Huihumon could almost hear the "…as you should very well know, Steel-for-Brains," that would have been attached at the end. "If that was all you came for, go back to your place."

"Shengumon, please," Huihumon begged. "Everything is so different from how it used to be, I'd like something to stay the same."

"I thought this was about our ability to work together… or did you not say that?" Shengumon asked his cores reaching a new intensity.

"I said, that was how I justified it to myself!" Huihumon all but roared. More quietly he continued, "Even though it has only been a brief time, ever since I am who I am now, I feel as though all my actions that are not directly pertaining to my orders must have a logical justification. I can't explain it, but I couldn't even move this way until I had a reason and once I started moving I couldn't stop! I don't know all that has happened to me, nor do I pretend to understand what has happened to you, I was just hoping that we could help each other out like we did so long ago… I apologize once again and once more for wasting your time." The Tiger Slave began to turn away.

It was then that Zhuqiaomon understood what was happening. "Huihumon!" the Southern Slave called out. The Western Slave stopped and turned to look back. Now he just had to figure out how to say this what he needed to. "I think you've mistaken me for Zhuqiaomon and yourself for Baihumon. Anything between them is not between us, though if I see Zhuqiaomon I will let him know. I think he would forgive Baihumon personally." The Tiger began to walk away again with a chuckle. "I wouldn't mind if we could have something like they did, though."

The Tiger stopped and Shengumon could see a true smile under his wicked visage. It was then that he realized another way his word could have been taken. "You… you don't have feelings for me do you?" he asked embarrassed.

The Western Slave jumped at the insinuation. Then he calmed down and replied honestly, "No, never." The "Not as Baihumon or now," went unsaid between them. They would never again directly bring up who they had been before; such a futile gesture would only bring pain.

"Good," Shengumon replied. "I'd hate if the first thing I had to do was break your heart." A thought came that the Fire Digimon voiced. "How long do you have?"

"We will know when I cannot stay," the Metal Mega replied. "You know, out of us all, I'd have thought that you would be the one who most often would be slouched down as far away as you could be without disobeying orders. And yet, I think you stand straighter than either Ebonwumon or I more often than not. It's like you are proud to serve."

"I am proud," Shengumon replied, enjoying the shock in the Western Slave's body language. "But not in serving our Master. I have not been broken, Huihumon. And so I take pride in my appearance. I take pride in the name he gave me. I even take pride in my Rings and tethers," he said motioning to the six slaves that dumbly held onto the cords. "Because they all represent times where I could have broken, but I didn't. I display them to remind our Master that they are the only things that make me serve him, to remind him of how many times he failed to break me. I am obedient to him by force, not by will, and I can take comfort in that."

The Western Tiger laughed. "There should be another syllable in your name, Shengumon."

"I think he knew that as well when he decided my name, Huihumon. But he hid it, so it would not be so obvious. Our Master is brilliant after all."

Huihumon sighed. "Yet another thing I thought I would never hear you say, Shengumon. Or are you just tormenting me?"

"No, no, Huihumon," the Southern Slave replied placatingly. "I do believe that he's brilliant." Again Shengumon's cores brightened. "He would not have been able to bind us if he weren't. I wish I could call him stupid, but I can't… Not universally, anyway. I doubt our Master truly understands what he has done. I doubt his Common Sense, not his brilliance."

Here Huihumon's cores brightened. "So… we serve him… because he's smarter… than we are…" the Tiger said in a daze.

Shengumon's cores flashed again as he grimaced in agreement. "Yeah I guess you could say that… Hey, you alright?"

The Tiger's daze ended, but they both felt the pull. "I'm fine. I have to get into position, Shengumon." The Western Slave said as he walked away. They didn't say anything more because that would jinx it. Shengumon didn't care if his Master failed, but he didn't want Huihumon to be killed for it. Still why did Huihumon's Cores react like they did, and did that have anything to do with why the Tiger zoned out? Was the same true for him?

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><p>The Emperor made to awaken Fanglongmon. The world held its breath, and then then the inspiration was released and the world trembled. As the Center Sovereign awoke he uplifted tons of earth in every direction. The slaves behind Shengumon released his tethers and the Southern and Eastern Slaves simultaneously kicked off hard into the sky. Huihumon jumped to and fro his feet never staying on one of the boulders for more than an instant as he made his way to the Emerging Dragon. Ebonwumon had become faster but not nearly enough to evade the debris, so instead he took the hits to his shell and pushed them out of the way. When Fanglongmon emerged he saw black reflections of three of his Sovereign airborne and attacking him. The Center Sovereign prepared for war.<p>

Ebonwumon unleashed a Mugen, though before it could hit Fanglongmon swung his tail and blew the attack right back with a force that threw even Ebonwumon into the air. Before that would have been all the Northern Slave would have been able to contribute to the battle, but now he was able to recover. He was hurt, but not out.

The Emperor grimaced, the counter attack had been unexpected, as had that strike wiping out an eighth of his army. Still he had come prepared—hopefully. It might be a mistake to reveal his trump so early in the game, but there was no counter for it really. He watched the Four Mega duke it out, Fanglongmon having forgotten Ebonwumon for the moment. As Shengumon began his next Blazing Helix the Emperor played his trump. The Jewels on the Fire Virus's Rings Exploded with Red light, and Shengumon unleashed the most powerful Blazing Helix he had ever wielded. The raw power astonished all the combatants, but Molongmon and Huihumon had orders to follow.

They continued their assault and in the confusion the Emperor threw his first Soveriegn Class Ring. Huihumon should have been clamping down on the Yellow Dragon's neck, holding it still for the Ring. But Fanglongmon was far faster than he had a right to be and instead of his head being there, it was his tail. The Ring snapped shut around his tail, and for a moment Fanglongmon was confused. It was not until he tried to swat the Tiger away again that he found his tail was completely dead, it was now just a weight behind his body, completely useless as a weapon. No matter, he had other way of punishing his wayward servants. Still it might not do to have one of those get around his neck. The BlackZhuqiaomon's cores were getting duller, Fanglongmon noted, and his attacks were weakening as well.

With his Dragon Smash out of commission, Fanglongmon moved to his Oukai. That would give him some breathing room. But as Fanglongmon began to turn his leg had gotten caught in something. Turning to see what it was the Center Sovereign was in disbelief, it was another one of those Rings! Where did they keep coming from?! He looked up and saw three more descending. Growling Fanglongmon rose on his back legs and swiped them away with a swing of his fore-claw. His swing got two of the Rings, the third closed around his fore-arm. The Yellow Dragon was forced back to all fours, and the jewels from the other three Slaves began to shine. Fanglongmon's mind was assaulted on three fronts. The situation was bad. Fanglongmon could tell without really looking that everyone in the Digital World was here, they had already fallen… yes that was it! It was so simple! The world was already doomed, so why shouldn't he just end it?! All it would take was an extended Taikyuko and it would be over, everything would be back to normal! "Those five Rings look rather good on you but I think it needs something… more, don't you?" a boy said appearing in front of him.

What did the brat just say?! Shaking, Fangmongmon looked himself over again, there were five Rings on his body. One on each fore-arm and thigh and one at the base of his tail. But how… how did he not notice? Looking back at the gathered crowd he noticed that the Black Ebonwumon was standing again. When did that happen, his strike should have kept the Turtle out for another day! And then the arguments were again in his ears in full force. Appeals to Ethics, to Logic, and to his Emotions. It was maddening. "I only have one more with me, and from the looks of it you're not in any state to object," the boy continued pulling out another of those Evil things.

"But that wouldn't be any fun," the boy said with a demented smirk "No, you are going to willingly put it on, because that is the only way that the arguments will stop. You can probably already tell that for some reason you can't use any of your attacks, nor can you move. When my rings found that they couldn't take you all at once they went for your motor controls and Skill Access. It was something that I modified Sovereign Class Rings, the kind you are wearing, to do as a prevention measure. I didn't want the thrashing that Azulongmon did to happen again, it would have destroyed my precious Garden."

Fanglongmon shook on frozen legs that would not let him drop. The Yellow Dragon stared at the Ring and knew he could spend an eternity just like this before going crazy and putting it on because he thought it would be fun. He had already lost, Taikyuko was beyond him. And they were all telling him to do it; it would be so easy—quick and painless. The Center Sovereign searched the crowd, looking for one set of eyes that would be telling him to continue to fight, but there was no one. All the eyes were hungry, expectant. Clinging to the shreds of his sanity, Fanglongmon bent his head. _'This is what the Digital World decided,'_ he told himself. _'This is what it chose. I shouldn't ignore its wishes.'_ He slipped his head through the collar, and felt it shrink to rest snuggly on his neck. Fanglongmon's eyes became glass, his conscious slept.

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><p>When The Center Slave had emerged from the waters of the Dark Ocean, it looked as though the waters were a robe that the Mega was slipping out of. The ore that made up his body had become the color of the Abyss sucking in any light that touched it, except that of his jewels; two to each of his six Rings. But even then the light seemed to be drawn in differently at different angles creating the effect of shades of black. The towering spines had become Control Spires in their own right. Then the Emperor cracked his whip and the void scales seemed to vanish. Under them were rows of cages, empty for now. But there were entrances into the giant Mega near where his Metacarpals and Metatarsals, there was an entrance in the tip of his tail, and there was almost guaranteed to be one in the Mega's mouth. "This is Lílongmon, my Masterpiece!" the Emperor declared to his servile world.<p>

"Now, Go Home." With that command roughly a fourth of the assembled Digimon stepped forward and began walking to the Living Cage. All four of the other former Sovereign walked to Lílongmon's mouth who obligingly opened it, to allow them in. Huihumon, almost immediately split away from the group, because his cage was part of the Center Slave's brain. As they continued down they watched as Digimon approached their cage and were admitted before the bars slammed shut. There was no noise, just the eerie blank stares of millions of dead red eyes. Mòlongmon was the next to leave, being stationed in Lílongmon's heart.

After a time, Shengumon split from Ebonwumon. The Turtle was going to a higher part of the Center Slave's gut. When each of the Slaves reached their destination they, waited until the bars had slammed shut before almost simultaneously sighing. For better or worse it was over, well and truly over. The Digital World would evolve from here.

Lílongmon's void scales returned and using the voices of those Slave he carried within him, pledged his loyalty to the Digimon Emperor.

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><p><strong>Yay! Story done! Seriously, I just threw these chapters up because the story had been incomplete for about two years now and I had only been planning Five chapters and I already knew how it would end, so it was starting to annoy me. But should I really be cheering about what the heck I just did? What does that say about me that I'm happy about this... or you guys for reading this-I mean I put Tragedy up front, you knew how this would end.<strong>

**Couple pieces of information because I don't see how you could infer them.**

**1)All of the Four Directional Sovereign hold something rather important in their Digi-Cores. They are all part of what the Emperor considers "The Argument for Service." Molongmon both stores and creates the Ethos, the ethics and customs of the "society." Ebonwumon holds the appeal to Positive Emotions, half of Pathos. Huihumon deals with Logos, the logic and rationality of the argument. Shengumon focuses and restrains the subject's negative Pathos, so things like anger.**

**As they accumulate more and more their Digi-cores get brighter. Molongmon, Ebonwumon, and Huihumon can unleash their stored arguments into a Digimon that is wearing a Ring but is trying to disobey (Fanglongmon). Shengumon can channel the Negative Pathos to empower the target's attacks. So for a really sick and twisted reason Ken constantly messing with Shengumon was so that he'd have as much power as possible to fight Fanglongmon with.**

**2)The Digimon Emperor was actually really careful with how far he pushed Shengumon. As Shengumon was and still is a Fire type digimon, he is most effective if he can be passionate, which means that he can't be "broken." So he was constantly playing brinkmanship with Shengumon's sanity but always knew exactly when to let up.**

**Though I might do a follow up that isn't related to _Prelude_, might be interesting.**


End file.
